Ryback crashed WWE Champion CM Punk’s 365-day celebration party

So here we are, 365 days later. One full turn around the sun since CM Punk made Alberto Del Rio tap in New York City and took the WWE Championship for his very own. Eleven months since his first defense of the reign at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs. Seven months since he walked into and out of WrestleMania XXVIII as champion, and one night after Punk proved his own prophecy right by defeating John Cena and Ryback, The Second City Saint stood in Dayton and celebrated the one-year anniversary of his second reign as WWE Champion.

And after some introductory oration by Paul Heyman, Punk took to the ring and, with no small amount of pleasure, quickly placed himself above the likes of Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Rock and proclaimed himself to be, as ever, The Best in the World. The Second City Saint then set his sights squarely on a date in the future: July 25, 2018, the 355th episode of WWE Main Event, when he would surpass Bruno Sammartino for the longest title reign in history. As for his greatest victory? For Punk, that answer was simple: His historic victory over Cena and Ryback, a win nobody said could be done save for Punk and Heyman himself.

It was a victory Punk seemed eager to relive, but at least one man wasn’t feeling the same nostalgia. Ryback’s music hit and the beast stomped down to the ring, fine/suspension be damned, to sink his claws into CM Punk finally. But once again, Ryback would be stopped short by the same men who cut him down the night before. Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns swarmed Ryback halfway down the ramp, stopping him from getting to Punk (who seemed as surprised by their presence as anyone) before once again hoisting Ryback on their shoulders and pummeling him through the announce table.

While the three attackers stood stoically in the ring, Punk decided to bask in the moment all the same. The Second City Saint sauntered down to the prone Ryback, planted one foot on his chest, and for the first time in year No. 2 of his WWE Title reign, proclaimed himself The Best in the World.

WWE Champion CM Punk def. John Cena and Ryback (Triple Threat Match)

INDIANAPOLIS — CM Punk did it again.

Sneaking away with a victory over John Cena and Ryback in a Triple Threat Match at Survivor Series, the WWE Champion continued his extraordinary, and now yearlong, title reign by the very skin of his teeth. And yet, things may have turned out very differently had it not been for the outside involvement of three individuals who aided The Straight Edge Savior when he needed it most.

Targeting the mighty Ryback in the closing moments of this brutal battle, WWE NXT competitors Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns attacked the powerful competitor like rabid dogs before smashing him through an announce table — the second one Ryback crashed through that night.The flagrant assault allowed the WWE Champion to pin a downed Cena, and raised endless questions about their involvement in the main event that remain unanswered.

One thing is certain, though: Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns changed the course of WWE history at Survivor Series

The involvement of three WWE NXT competitors may have allowed CM Punk to leave Indianapolis with his precious WWE Title still in his sweaty grasp, but he will be feeling the effects of this Triple Threat Match for quite some time. Showing unabashed cowardice from the opening bell, the WWE Champion attempted to flee his imposing challengers, but ended up running into the brick wall that is Ryback.

The WWE Universe had been desperate to see a showdown between the explosive Ryback and the Cenation leader. When the two behemoths finally locked up, it had all the epic intensity of the night Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior challenged each other for the very first time. The human wrecking ball proved he could take Cena’s best shot when he stood right back up after being slammed to the mat by the former WWE Champion. But the sight of Ryback being rendered helpless in the powerful grasp of Cena’s STF perfectly illustrated the strength of the Cenation leader.

Still, each time these heavy hitters got into a heated confrontation, the slimy Punk would worm his way into the fray in a desperate attempt to steal a pinfall and take off with his title. For CM Punk, the name of tonight’s event was quite literal. It was all about survival for The Straight Edge Savior, and every second that ticked away on the clock took him further away from that goal.

As is always the case with Triple Threat Matches, allegiances were formed and broken in the blink of an eye. In a moment no one in the WWE Universe expected to see, Punk and Cena worked together to suplex Ryback through an announce table and halt the onslaught of the destructive monster. There was no love lost between the bitter rivals, but taking the wrecking ball out of the equation was a bit of brilliance on the part of the veteran grapplers.

Now facing off one-on-one, Punk and Cena demonstrated their knowledge of each other’s arsenal. When Cena scored with a resounding Attitude Adjustment, the WWE Champion responded just as quickly with the Go to Sleep. Taking the best the other had to offer, the longtime opponents were nearly at a stalemate before Ryback came back to life like the monster in a horror movie.

Dismantling his opponents, Ryback Shell Shocked both Cena and Punk before three men dressed all in black hit the ring and attacked the human wrecking ball with unbridled intensity. Name checked by Michael Cole as WWE development system NXT’s Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, the three young competitors slammed Ryback through the Spanish announce table before escaping through the crowd.

Back in the ring, a groggy Punk threw himself on top of the Shell Shocked Cena to score the pin. The moment echoed the conclusion of October’s WWE Hell in a Cell, when The Straight Edge Savior received an unexpected hand from rogue referee Brad Maddox. Much like that night, Punk was granted another reprieve as WWE Champion, thanks to Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns. Whether The Voice of the Voiceless has any association with these men remains unclear.

It was 364 days ago, at Survivor Series 2011, that Punk began his historic WWE Title reign by defeating Alberto Del Rio in Madison Square Garden. On that night, The Straight Edge Savior leaped into the audience with his championship to celebrate with the WWE fans who had overwhelmingly embraced him. Tonight, Punk limped to the back alongside his noxious associate Paul Heyman while the crowd in Indianapolis’ Bankers Life Fieldhouse booed him relentlessly. What a difference a year makes.

There was no pomp and circumstance in re-introducing Jerry “The King” Lawler to the WWE Universe for his first Raw since his near-fatal heart attack nine weeks earlier, because there was no need for any. Lawler’s mere presence seemed to light a fire in the WWE Universe, each and every one of whom was either on their feet or bowing in reverence when the WWE Hall of Famer made his long-awaited return, a moment that Lawler, Michael Cole and J.R. unanimously agreed nobody was sure would ever happen again. “I just want to say from the bottom of my heart that I apprecaite it.

Is love you all so much,” said a tearful Lawler. “It’s great to be –” Enter CM Punk. The Second City Saint, who clearly has not been one for celebration these past few months, wasted no time in picking up where he left off in his torment of the WWE Hall of Famer. The Voice of the Voiceless’ audacity knew no bounds in particular on Monday night. “It’s good you left the ring when you did,” Punk sneered after Lawler headed back to the announce booth, “because if you did, I would have beat you to death … again.” Because what else should “The King” have expected, Punk said, after getting in the ring with the reigning WWE Champion and “attempting to relive his glory days?”

While the Superstars in the locker room talked about the number of minutes Lawler clinically left the land of the living, Punk presented a figure that he claimed “actually means something:” 358, the number of days he had stood as champion, a number that officially ties him with Diesel on the all-time list. The mockery didn’t stop there, though, as Punk only paused his mockery of Lawler to aid Paul Heyman in the mad scientist’s crass imitation of a heart attack. This, of course, would not stand for Mick Foley, who had been wating in the wings during “The King’s” return and saw fit to confront Punk one final time.

Because even though the two Superstars had supposedly concluded their business following the installation of Dolph Ziggler as a Survivor Series captain, Foley still had a few words for Punk’s attempt to hijack Lawler’s return for himself. ”Let me tell you a secret about Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler,” seethed Foley, the old Cactus Jack fury seeping from his pores. “HE WAS DEAD! And through miracles … he’s here tonight … You think that the fact that Jerry Lawler is here involves you and it DOESN’T!” And yes, while Foley did harbor disappointment over losing Punk as a Survivor Series opponent and the opportunity to “teach him a lesson,” not to mention the hole left in his ranks by Ryback’s absence (to be filled by the WWE Universe via a RAWactive poll) he wasn’t all that upset given the “parting gift” he’d been granted by the powers that be. For Punk’s contest against Cena later in the night, Foley would serve as the Special Guest Enforcer.

John Cena def. WWE Champion CM Punk

Nearly two months after their last meeting, CM Punk’s epic conflict with John Cena resumed in the confines of Nationwide Arena, with Mick Foley patrolling the outside as the Special Guest Enforcer. And despite Punk’s hesitance to mix it up with Cena, the 10-time WWE Champion notched a strong victory over the incumbent titleholder when Foley prevented The Second City Saint from abandoning the contest.

Forced to fight his way out of the predicament, however, Punk responded with gusto despite his efforts to vacate the bout. The Voice of the Voiceless’ technical expertise nearly swung the contest after Punk locked Cena in a vise-like sleeper hold, but Cena managed to power out and create separation by slamming Punk into the turnbuckle. Punk briefly abandoned mat wrestling for brute force when he exchanged a barrage of kicks and punches against the Cenation leader. But blunt force is where Cena lives, and the 10-time WWE Champion countered strongly with his signature shoulderblocks.

Punk was not about to take Cena’s moves lying down, though, and sprang a surprise counter to leave Cena prone for the flying elbow. Cena dodged the airborne strike and landed a Five-Knuckle Shuffle, but Punk again countered, writhing out of the Attitude Adjustment and stunning Cena with a kick to the face before locking him up in the Koji Clutch. Cena broke the hold by reaching the ropes. The maneuver appeared to have taken its toll on him, but as always, Cena would not be counted out so fast. He countered Punk’s springboard clothesline into the STF and, after Foley foiled Paul Heyman’s attempt to break the hold, locked Punk in the maneuver again until the champion made his way to the ropes.

Having had enough, Punk attempted again to leave, but was met by Ryback halfway up the ramp and scrambled reluctantly back to the ring. Cena, however, was lying in wait and pounded Punk with the Attitude Adjustment to pin the champion. Cena’s jubilation was ultimately short-lived as he found himself face to face again with Ryback. Each man grabbed hold of Punk’s precious title, laying claim to The Second City Saint’s prize while Punk himself withered in dread, the elusive yearlong mark never closer and yet, somehow, never quite so far away.

This site is run with the full knowledge, consent and input of CM Punk. CMPUNK.COM is CM Punk's official site. Any images and multimedia are copyright to their rightful owners. No copyright infringement is intended. All images are used in compliance with Fair Use Copyright Law (Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 107). Any issues with material please contact us directly to be credited or have the item removed from the site. All original graphics and coding belong to CMPUNK.COM. The site is best viewed in Mozilla Firefox. You are vistor